The Actions of a Gentleman
by Elise Penn
Summary: Mr. Darcy proves to Elizabeth that he is not always a gentleman and that he can be spontaneous. Read and review please
1. Chapter 1

The room was filled with a thick aroma of perfume and wine. The bustling sound of people dancing and rich laughter filled the air. Candles gave the room a soft glow. The sound of a piano accompanied the dancers in the main ballroom. In a separate room down the hallway, a group of men gathered around a table in the dim lighting with cards in one hand and a cigar in the other.

The smell lingered into the hall and lured Elizabeth Bennet in. She stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the crowd of men with her white satin gown and gloves to match. Her hair was pulled up with pearls strewn about so it framed her face to show off her lightly rosy cheeks.

She inhaled the smell of the smoke and stayed close to the wall of the room to watch the men laugh immaturely and throw around insults as they stayed completely engrossed in their gambling.

She was particularly interested in one man who sat farthest away from her. His face was emotionless; his lips were cast in a stone cold appearance. He had the perfect countenance for bluffing. His dark eyes wandered around the table as if he was carefully reading each man.

"I do say Mr. Darcy, you haven't spoken a word since you've been at the table and yet, you've managed to make the biggest impact on the game." One very tall thin man said as he inhaled on his cigar.

Mr. Darcy didn't seem to care that he was being spoken to. Instead, he brushed the mans words off his shoulder and stared down at his cards. Elizabeth pursed her lips together as she watched his impolite actions. The tall man went on to continue speaking.

"And you have such a serious face Mr. Darcy. I've been playing cards for years now; I've never had trouble reading a man until tonight."  
A compliment was being given and he didn't even acknowledge that it was being directed at him. Not with words, or the slightest gesture such as a nod or a twitch of the lip which for him, would be considered a smile.

"Tell me, Mr. Darcy, how long have you been playing cards now?" 

At this, Elizabeth gave a smirk and she contained a laugh for she knew that he was cornered. He would have to answer now that he was being asked a direct question. Indeed, Mr. Darcy was rude, cold, and ungrateful at first impression. But nevertheless, he was a gentleman in some odd fashion.

"Only a few years." He said in a flat tone. His answer was very short and he almost sounded as if he was irritated by the conversation.

"I must commend you for how well you play the hand in which you are dealt."

He looked down at his cards and then up again in a sharp and jolting manner. Elizabeth was staring him straight in the eyes and he froze instantly. The other men noticed his impulsive behavior and turned to see what he was now looking at. Elizabeth tilted her chin down in a slight nod at some of the men in the room without changing the expression on her flawless face.

Mr. Darcy stood immediately as he placed the cards face down on the table. The rest of the men remained seated in the room as they watched rather curiously at the two of them.

"Miss Elizabeth, I do apologize. I must not have heard you enter the room."  
"It's quite alright Mr. Darcy. You seem to not notice a lot these days; like the compliments that were being given to you this evening." Elizabeth said with a slightly displeased frown.

Mr. Darcy lowered his gaze a bit and he swallowed.

"I'm quite sorry to barge in on your game gentleman, but if I recall correctly, Mr. Darcy owes me a dance and he has delayed it for two hours. I beg for your forgiveness, but I'm afraid I must steal him away so he can redeem himself and not be called a liar amongst those who knew that he promised me a charming dance. Do excuse us." She said in a cool manner.

Mr. Darcy gave a slight nod towards the men seated at the table as he quickly walked towards Elizabeth and offered her his arm, which she took. The two of them exited the room and began to walk towards the ballroom.

"You really don't know where you belong at a formal party do you Miss Elizabeth?" He said in a highly annoyed tone.

"And you, Mr. Darcy, really don't know how to keep a promise." She said as she smiled at the people she passed in the hall.

"I hadn't forgotten about my promise to you. You know these parties go well into the night and we still had a long while before the night came to an end. I was simply indulging in a game of cards."

"We were having a very pleasant conversation earlier this evening. I asked you to dance with me and to which you replied, 'I will be only a short moment. I must get something to drink first.' And I don't ever remember someone taking two hours to consume some wine Mr. Darcy."

They walked at a slow pace. He continued looking straight ahead at the end of the seemingly long hallway as she stared intently at his features. His dark brown hair was tousled as if he had been riding on horseback moments prior to this discussion. His chin came to a very defined point and the collar of his jacket reached up to his neck.

He drew in a heavy sigh as closed his eyes. It was becoming clear to Elizabeth that he was arguing with her in his head.

"Pardon me Miss Elizabeth for taking a lengthy time to drink wine and converse with the people at this extravagant party." He said in an almost sarcastic tone.

"You don't converse with people Mr. Darcy. You intimidate them with your _bursting_ energy. And how many times must I tell you to address me as Elizabeth? There is no need for such formal titles."  
"Maybe so, but even still, you are a fine young woman and as a gentleman, it is my role to treat you as such."

She gave a forced laugh and this time she looked down the hallway almost longing for the ending to be near.

"On the contrary, you certainly don't act like a gentleman and you do everything but treat me like a woman Mr. Darcy."

She was almost frightened when he grabbed her arm in a harsh manner and quickly stormed into the nearest empty room. There was almost no lighting and only the pale moonlight that flooded through the window provided limited vision. A desk and chair were at the far corner of the room. He pulled her in and slammed the door behind him. She was completely speechless as she watched his face for hints as to what he may do.

He walked towards her slowly, his face very serious. He backed her against the wall. Elizabeth's breathing began to speed up and she could smell the lingering scent of the cigars on his coat. He placed his large hands on her shoulders with enough force to cause her to be stationary, but still gentle enough making sure that he did not hurt her.

"You think I'm emotionless, not a gentleman, and that I disregard that you are a woman? Fine, I'll show you a spontaneous and bold man who could give little concern about your wishes and morals."

Before she could protest, he had one hand behind her neck and the other placed on her cheek. Her back was fully against the wall and he was pressing into her. He then pressed his lips to hers with some force as he kissed her. His breath was hot and he pulled her back from the wall and pushed her closer to him as he continued kissing her.

She tried to pry his hands free from her. At first, she was outraged. Simply infuriated that he had to be so dramatic and irrational. And then, she realized that this was something that she had been longing for. She had always secretly hoped that Mr. Darcy would fancy more than just a dance with her. And now, her secret fantasies were becoming reality.

Elizabeth moved her hands from Darcy's as she finally stopped fighting against him and placed them on his shoulders and then upon his waist. His hand moved firmly to the back of her head to draw her in even closer as the other hand moved to the base of her neck.

Her heart was pounding and her breathing was beyond control. This was also true for Mr. Darcy, and he too had been craving for a moment such as this one. After a few minutes, Darcy broke the kissing. He pulled away, his eyes opened and focused on Elizabeth who had not yet opened hers.

He watched her reactions and read every little detail on her face like a book. Her lips were slightly parted, and he could tell even in the very little light that her cheeks were flushed. Her chest rose and fell with each breath that she took and her body was barely trembling.

She opened her eyes and caught her breath. Mr. Darcy then very gently placed his hand on her cheek and kissed her forehead. He then softly spoke to her.

"Despite my bold and rare actions, I will still act like a gentleman and treat you how every desirable, beautiful, young woman should be treated for most of the time, Miss Elizabeth Bennett."

And he took her by the arm and led her to the ballroom to give her the dance she had been awaiting.


	2. Chapter 2

Darcy and Elizabeth had been dancing the whole night away. Their feet moved quickly across the wooden floors and the sound of the violins and piano echoed off the grand ballroom. Elizabeth laughed and stole sips of wine from her sisters who were standing on the sidelines of the room and even Mr. Darcy expressed a smile or two.

She loved the way that he held onto her waist and led her through the crowd of people who were moving about the floor in a cheerful behavior. He did not speak much for the first half of the dancing. In fact, it took him quite a while to even look her in the eye.

After emerging from the room, he had acted as if nothing happened. Undeniably, the two of them received questioning glances from the party guests. Elizabeth would be mortified if one of them confirmed that indeed, she and Mr. Darcy had been engaging in informal party manners. The thought of rumored whispers spreading throughout the night about Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy stealing kisses would be the talk of the town for days in that matter!

But in spite of the lingering daydreams that filled Elizabeth's head, she danced away the night. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that her sister Lydia had taken a liking to a solider, and they too were now dancing. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet wandered about the dining hall and the ballroom. Mrs. Bennet was starting up lively conversations and drowning out most of the music with her loud and forced laughter, as usual.

After they had finished a few vivacious songs, the violinist started playing a slow and very intimate piece. Darcy took Elizabeth by the waist and they danced in a small circle. He cleared his throat and she looked up to meet his gaze, but he spoke no words. Finally, she spoke up.

"Mr. Darcy, you have been clearing your throat as if you are choking all night. I beg your pardon sir, but what is the meaning of this?" She asked as she took a few steps back and then made a small circle around him.

"I was only thinking to myself Miss Elizabeth."

"Mr. Darcy, please, you showed me earlier tonight that you can address differently. There is no need for titles. I have already made that perfectly clear." 

Mr. Darcy looked most uncomfortable as she explained this to him. He then opened his mouth and took a breath before speaking.

"Miss—Elizabeth…Elizabeth, would you be so kind as to accompany me back to my home?"  
"What is your reason for this Mr. Darcy?"

"To continue our previous conversation from earlier this evening." 

Elizabeth stood still and Darcy clenched his jaw. Her cheeks flushed and she parted her lips as if she was going to say something, but nothing came out of her this time around.

Darcy took her by the waist again and led her around the room, weaving in and out of the other dancing couples.

Surely he didn't mean it. Perhaps she had heard him wrong. Or maybe there was a conversation that she was forgetting. He couldn't be referring to the episode they had just had.

"I am sorry sir, but I'm a bit puzzled by your request."

"Just say yes my dear Elizabeth. The night is still very young and we have much talking to do."

She swallowed and then nodded her head as her lips twisted into a smile. After the song was over, Mr. Darcy bowed and then went to seek Mr. Bennet. Elizabeth followed closely behind him but stayed her distance and made sure that her father didn't see her.

She couldn't hear the words that they were speaking, but she watched their gestures. Mr. Darcy stood stick straight as he spoke. Mr. Bennets' eyes lit up as if he looked troubled by the request. He leaned forward and spoke something to which Mr. Darcy smiled and gave a laugh. This startled Elizabeth.

She had not expected for her father to agree in the first place, it did not seem suitable for a young woman to be escorted back to the house of a man to whom she was not married to. And as for Mr. Darcy, his laughter was rare. She had only seen this happen when it was forced. But this was completely natural.

Mr. Darcy made a low bow to her father as he turned and began walking towards her. She looked at her father who smiled back with a somewhat devious look. Mr. Darcy placed his hand on the small of her back as he leaned in to whisper something

"It has all been settled. Do come with me my Elizabeth." He said as his deep voice gently rolled into her ear.

"Mr. Darcy, have you had too much to drink tonight? Perhaps your head is clouded and your judgment is poor. But I will not be the subject to whispers that the commoners and townspeople will share once they learn that you have taken me back to—"

He interrupted her by placing his hand centimeters away from her soft pink lips and she was rather shocked. She didn't speak another word as they climbed into the carriage and left the bustling ball. The stagecoach rocked from side to side as the horses walked their way through the night. Darcy and Elizabeth sat across from each other. Nothing but the soft pale moon lit up part of Elizabeth's face. She looked out the window as she began to fantasize about what could possibly go on at Mr. Darcy's house.

Surely nothing out of ordinary or out of reason would take place. There was slight pressure just above her knee and the touch was comforting. His hand was resting on her leg as he gave her a quick smile.

"I don't mean to be rude Mr. Darcy, but this is out of line, is it not?"

"Elizabeth, I am quite fond of you. And you do feel the same way, don't deny it. My intentions are purely good, I assure you my love." He said in a reassuring voice.

She gave a small smile and nodded her head slightly. But on the inside she felt as if she might explode as she contained her excitement! She had always wanted to be apart of his life in some way and now he was finally taking action to make it so. He took her hand from her lap as she slowly leaned forward and he kissed it so lightly that it was barely felt. And after that, Elizabeth's eyes were burning with desire. Darcy was perfect with understanding the language of unspoken words. He leaned into her slightly as he kissed her cheek and then kissed her temple, and finally the corner of her lips which were now trembling with anticipation.

He cupped her face in his large warm hands and gave a laugh.

"We are home my dear. Surely you can wait a little longer."

His voice was tantalizing.

He let go of her, but kept his eyes upon her angelic face. Indeed, the carriage had stopped moving which Elizabeth had failed to notice. He had a way of captivating her in every small movement that he made and every word that he spoke. Darcy opened the door and stepped out offering his hand for Elizabeth's aid. She took it giving a kind look in return. And there they stood, in front of the household of Mr. Darcy. It was large and grand and most certainly fit his character. She wrapped her arm through his as they walked towards the entrance together, the moon illuminating the path set before them.


	3. Chapter 3

The entryway of the large home was dark. The bitter night air was shut out as Darcy closed the door behind Elizabeth. He stood by the door and watched as she took small steps into the home. As she walked down the hallway, the room to her right seemed to be a spacious room with a desk and books, perhaps a small library of some sort. The room that was in front of her had soft glow coming from the doorway and the crackling of a fire could be heard. She pushed the door ajar and walked in as she inhaled with astonishment. The room was exquisite. Darcy followed behind her and his footsteps echoed on the wooden floors.

"This room is so detailed." She said as she took a walk around the room while running her hand along the wall.

She looked at the paintings of different parks and flowers that hung in the room and she noticed that the ceiling was just as detailed as the walls. Beautiful trim went around the top of the room and a stunning crystal chandelier hung in the center.

There were soft chairs and all the furniture had heavy detailed cloth covering them. She walked over to the chair that sat by the fire. The mantle was finely decorated and it looked to be handcrafted by the finest.

"Do sit, the chair is quite comfortable." Darcy said in a low tone.

"You have excellent taste in design and furniture Mr. Darcy." She said as she slowly sat down in the chair.

"Thank you, although I didn't have much say into what went into the home. I just hired one of the best to build it for me."

"You must be very pleased to live here."

He chuckled and even in the dim light of the room, Elizabeth caught his small smile.

He sat on the rug in front of the fireplace and looked up at her. She spoke before he could open his mouth again.

"I would love a home like this someday. It would be quite a handful to clean though." She said as she bit her lower lip.

"That's what the maids are for my dear." He said with a teasing tone.

"The life of a maid would be boring." Elizabeth said as she tilted her head to one side, thinking about the idea.

"Well I would say that you are lucky enough that you will never have to become one." He said as he turned his gaze away from her and watched the logs burn.

"And why is that Mr. Darcy?" She asked as she looked at him. His hair fell perfectly over his eyes as he turned to answer her, and his slight smirk made his lips and the temptation to kiss him almost unbearable.

"There are many reasons Elizabeth."

"Do tell, you have me at a high peek of curiosity." She said as she leaned back in the chair.

Darcy took a deep breath and sat up so his back was straight. He kept a calm and even tone and made eye contact with her every so often while speaking. It was almost as if he was intimidated by her very presence.

"Well for one, you are a lady and you have been raised with proper etiquette. Maids do not know manners."  
"On the contrary," She said interrupting him, "the maids in our home are very polite."

"Let me restate what I mean then my dear. Maids have manners, but not the extent that you do. So you are too proper to be one in the first place. Second, maids do not have a high intelligence like yourself."

She opened her mouth to interrupt him, but he placed his hand in the air to silence her and continued speaking.

"Third, maids are not as beautiful as you. They are always frazzled looking, always in a state of a frantic mess. They do not have the elegance and the grace that you posses." He said as he gave a slight grin. She blushed as looked away from him for a few seconds, her cheeks burning from flattery rather than the fire.

"And last, you will be married to a man who has enough money so you can bask in luxury throughout your lifetime so you will not have to lift a finger so long as you shall live making it impossible for you to one day be a maid."

She smiled at him and then suddenly sat on the floor by him. He seemed stunned at her actions.

"A lady with proper etiquette would not sit on a floor like I am now therefor I cannot be a proper woman. I gather my intelligence from books, and I prefer the ones filled with nonsense, the ones that require a creative mind. The logical ones bore me to be honest. And I am not beautiful Mr. Darcy, instead you are too kind. And as far as a husband goes, the poor man will be putting up with an awful lot since I am so difficult. I'll be lucky to find a man who can tolerate such behaviour." She said with a smirk spread across her face.

She was challenging him and he knew it. He locked eyes with her and moved his face a little closer to hers and replied back in a whisper while his hand gently touched hers.

"Elizabeth, you are a woman with wisdom and you know proper etiquette but choose to defy it and stand out which makes you so unique. Your intelligence is unlike any other, you have both logic and emotion when it comes to your reasoning making your actions and words louder and clearer than any well trained scholar. And you are without a doubt the most beautiful human being I have ever laid my eyes on. I cannot express that enough. And as far as a husband goes, yes he will have to put up with your arguments, your stubborn thoughts, and your imagination, but he will also have a woman who is passionate about life and can be strong. A woman who will challenge him every day, and who is unlike any other creature to walk this planet. And he will be the luckiest man in the world."

He seemed to be nervous as he finished his speech. She noticed that he was shaking a bit and that he seemed to be holding his breath. She was about to ask if he was alright when she noticed that he was moving her hand.

He lifted it and then with his other hand, he held up a ring. The diamonds sparkled in the firelight and she felt her eyes widen. He took in a breath and then continued speaking.

"Elizabeth, I would be the luckiest man in the world if you agreed to let me be your husband. I wouldn't tolerate you, I would love you. I do love you. You make me speechless when you stand before me, and I cannot think of anyone else that I'd rather spend my life with. Elizabeth Bennett, will you please marry me?" he said.

His hand was shaking and he looked down at his lap for a few seconds and then back at her. Her mouth was slightly open as she looked at the ring. Her face was in complete shock as she then looked at him.

He waited for what seemed like forever for her reply, his heart was racing and his palms were sweating. Her face instantly lit up and her astounded face then smiled. Her eyes beamed as she nodded her head.

"Yes, yes I will." She said as she tried to suppress the laughter from joy. He slid the ring on her finger as she continued nodding her head and he kissed her. His hand gently wrapped around the back of her neck and tender lips locked onto hers. He could feel her smiling as she kissed back and he too couldn't help but let his emotions of excitement show through.

"Elizabeth Bennett, I will make you that happiest woman in the world. I swear to you that you will live the life of luxury and the life of pure and deserving love." He said as he smiled and let out a small laugh. She pulled him into another kiss as the fire continued to burn, casting a romantic feel to the room.


End file.
